Devil Town
by Vandalia LaRue
Summary: Coach Eric Taylor has taken the five year contract to be head football coach for the Dillon Panthers, the team that wronged him just a couple seasons ago by firing him in favor of Joe McCoy. Lots of things are changing beginning to change in the small Texas town of Dillon... but can Dillon and its inhabitants roll with the changes?
1. Chapter 1

"This is my team, Tami," he said to his wife of the last nineteen years. Since 2000, Eric Taylor had been coaching at Dillon High School. For five years, he was the quarterback coach and he trained in one of the best quarterbacks the Dillon Panthers ever had—Jason Street. Even though Jason's quarterback days were short lived under Eric's then head coach tenure, during his head coaching days he also trained in the second best quarterback the Panthers had seen in recent years—Matt Saracen.

After the football season had ended in 2008, Eric Taylor was more or less fired and replaced by the more favorable—Joe McCoy. Eric was thus banished to the newly reopened East Dillon Lions and formed one hell of a football team from scratch. Although they didn't do well for the 2009 season, they did go to State for the first time in twenty-five years in 2010—and they won.

Now after East Dillon High has shut down after two years of a bankrupted run, the Panthers have called upon Eric Taylor's name once more. To bring the Panthers out of the two year slump they've been in ever since they fired Coach Taylor, to keep Coach Taylor in Dillon instead of going to Shane State in Florida, and more importantly: to keep coaching the fine young men that are currently on the Dillon Panthers football team.

"You've had a lot of teams, Eric," his wife said in an empathetic tone of voice. It was true. Over his nearing twenty-year coaching career span, he'd had a lot of teams. There had been lots of teams before the Dillon Panthers…but Dillon had become their home. Dillon had crept into the empty crevices of their hearts, including their daughter Julie's, and filled them completely.

"I know, Tami. But this one… this one is the one. We've moved so many times, we've started over. This time, let's take the option that's on the table right here. It's not as fancy as Braemore College's; it's not even a quarter as fancy as Shane State's. But Tami, its good enough…and isn't it about time we settled for that? I can't give you the in ground swimming pool Shane State promised. I can't make Dillon High pay you the salary you're turning down from Braemore; I can't even make them give you a decent job. But I can promise you one thing—and it's that you'll be happy. Our friends are here; our little girl can grow up here surrounded by family and friends. We've cemented a life here." It was rare that the Coach ever went into a long speech like this with his wife. Over the last nineteen years, Tami had done a lot of the talking in their relationship and he'd done more than his share of the listening.

In the last nineteen years, however, Tami had compromised quite a lot for Eric Taylor. Braemore was knocking on her door, they were hitting her buzzer so to speak…and with the way things were going right now, she was going to have to turn them down. An opportunity like this had never come for her before and she knew it'd be years before another one did. Sighing in a bit of defeat, Tami looked to her husband and nodded her head, but her eyes were full of ultimatum.

"I can't argue with what you said," she started and Eric mouthed a 'thank you.' "But, I'm not rejecting the job without going in person and you explaining to them why I'm not taking it. School is out, you've got a month before football practice starts over the summer—Eric, let's enjoy that. We've never taken a family vacation, not since Gracie Belle was born. Let's go to Philadelphia for a few days, take in the sights. Then, let's go to Chicago for a few days, visit Julie and Matt."

Eric had been partially afraid the second Tami brought up 'family vacation' that she was heading in that general direction. It wasn't that Eric didn't miss his daughter, Julie, whom he hadn't seen in a number of weeks…it was more, he didn't want to go up to Chicago and see she was truly happy this young with Matt Saracen. Eric idolized Matt as a football player and thought him to be a very grown up young man but…the second Matt asked Eric for his daughters hand in marriage—the apple turned sour. It was only because Eric didn't want to lose his eldest daughter quite yet. Any Father would be the same as he was in this situation.

"Alright, I can't say no to that." Eric said in a half-reluctant sounding voice but the other half of him screamed enthusiasm. He was excited to go to Philadelphia with Tami and Gracie, even if it meant telling the President of Braemore to his face why his wife couldn't take the job. The only part Eric dreaded was going to Chicago…even though he knew he'd enjoy it once he got there.

"This isn't what I wanted exactly…but thank you, Eric," Tami lent over from the recliner to the chair and kissed her husband's cheek. "I meant what I said though, Tami, you will be happy. I didn't accept the job without a few perks; I'll be getting a raise. We can get that bigger house you've been dreaming of for a couple of years. His and her closets."

It wasn't the best time for him to say that to Tami, but she knew his heart was in the right place…so she put a smile upon her face and stood up from the recliner that evening at 7:07 Texas time and walked to the cordless phone, taking it into the bedroom. She planned to call Braemore's President first, and then their daughter Julie and inform her of their upcoming family vacation.

[*-*]

"What's the verdict, Garrity?" The voice echoed off the walls of Buddy's Bar in the East Dillon section of town. It was clear as day to the older gentleman who was asking, even though he wasn't the only other guy in the room.

The room had fallen into an eerie hush while Buddy Garrity was on the telephone to Coach Eric Taylor that night at around eight o'clock. They waited, and they waited; to the boys of the now Dillon Panthers football super group, it felt like they'd been waiting an eternity for coach to say whether he was going or staying for sure.

Buddy closed his flip cell phone and looked over to Tim Riggins, whose voice had brought him out of his trance. A smile started to form onto Garrity's face and Tim knew exactly what it meant. "It looks like we've got Coach to annoy for the next five years!" Tim's voice carried over the entire bar as he cracked open the top to an ice cold beer.

"I'll drink to that one, son," Buddy stated as he took a sip of a tonic and gin. The rest of the bar erupted in cheers—a lot of the people there were Panthers, former Panthers, former Lions, or just friends and associates of Eric Taylor's. They all shared one thing in common though: they all wanted Coach to stay, no matter what.

"This is great." Freshly graduated former QB #2 Luke Cafferty said as his girlfriend, Becky Sproles sat in his lap there in Buddy's Bar. "Great for us—Mr. I've signed up for the National Guard," she pointed out. "You'll probably be doing basic training when football season starts." It was true, Luke hadn't thought about it until now but Becky was probably right.

"Don't look so down all of a sudden 44," said QB #1, Vince Howard as he took a seat across from the couple at the table. Vince was drinking a soda in a bottle—after the stuff that went down with his father and drinking…well; he tried his best to abstain from it, even in a place like Buddy's. "I knew Coach wouldn't leave us." Vince stated and Luke nodded.

"I'm happy as hell, Vince. Becky just made me realize…I probably won't get to see any of y'all play until closer to the Championships, if you make it there. I'll be doing basic training probably." Luke explained. Vince felt a twinge of sadness over the fact that his...on and off again best friend wouldn't be there to see him make the new super-group team, or that he wouldn't be there to see their first several games but…Vince wasn't going to let it shatter his night. He was already sad enough about the fact that Jess wasn't here to celebrate with him.

"I've got to go call Jess, let her know it's finally official." Vince said as he stood up from the table after one last smile to Luke and Becky before taking off towards the front parking lot to call Jess, his girlfriend who had just moved to Dallas, to inform her of the great news.

It had been a long going on six months since they'd made Coach Taylor the offer to coach the Dillon Panthers this coming season. It had taken him six months to fully accept the deal and honestly in those six months, a lot of people had lost faith. Vince…he had been one of them. But Jess assured him every day, even after she'd moved to Dallas, that Coach wouldn't do that to him…not after rescuing Vince from himself. She kept reminding him that if Coach Taylor would look at Jason Street as a prodigy, then surely he looked at Vince like a son.

"What'd he say?!" Jess's voice boomed on the other end of the cell phone, Vince hadn't been expecting her to actually be anticipating his call. "He's staying. He's signing the papers first thing in the morning. We start football practice next month." Vince informed her. Jess squeaked in excitement, and then you could hear a soft sigh on the other end as she calmed down.

"What's that for baby?" Vince questioned his girlfriend. "I just wish I was there with you tonight, celebrating. If Dallas wasn't several hours away, I'd make the drive…" her voice trailed off.

"I wouldn't ask that of you, Jess. I'm sure you'll come back for a visit sometime over the summer. In the meantime, stay excited about your opportunities there!" Vince said enthusiastically. He was dating a soon to be prodigy of football coach Dallas Walker. He was about the only name locally bigger than Coach Taylor's.

[*-*]

"You and Dad are coming for a visit?" Julie's breath was just about knocked out of her. Here it was, early June, she hadn't been living with Matt a month quite yet and her parents were already trying to come visit her! Gees, talk about overprotective!

Matt looked over to his fiancée from the bed as she sat at their quaint kitchen table talking on the phone with her Mother. His throat had somewhat went dry as he swallowed a gigantic lump. When he had last spoken to Coach a little after Christmas…things still hadn't been smoothed out about the engagement yet.

Julie finished her first year of college, went home and got her things and promptly moved up here to Chicago. Matt had been having the time of his life this last month with the love of his life, but he guessed as they said: too much fun will make you forget the matter at hands. He was now dreading happening to meet again with Coach Taylor, the man who for the last five years he had looked up to like a Father figure…and especially since his Father passed away.

"No, no, I'm excited, of course. There are so many nice places I've gotten familiar with thanks to Matt. We'll have a really good time," Julie reassured her Mother. Julie hated to sound so dire on the phone a moment ago…of course she was excited to see her parents and younger sister, she only wished it wasn't so soon. "So Dad did take the new offer from the Panthers, then?" Julie questioned and was silent a few minutes.

"Well that's good. Hey, at least you get the "his and her" closets now, huh?" Julie asked and her Mother laughed over the phone. "That's exactly what your Father said!" Tami laughed with her daughter on the other line. It had been all too long since the woman had spoken to her daughter and there wasn't some kind of tension on the other end. Tami missed Julie desperately and wished she and Matt could just live there in Dillon but… Matt was a big art scholar now with a nice job.

After Tami hung up with her daughter as she lay on the queen sized bed in she and Eric's bedroom—it dawned on her. Her daughter was going to end up just like herself… in a marriage of compromise that never favored her. Tami had compromised her life away for her husband, Eric, and Julie was destined to do the same for Matt. But at least for Jules, her nickname for her daughter… it seemed Jules was genuinely happy.

Tami knew right now everything she was feeling was depression. She'd been in this rut before and it didn't take too long before she'd been happy again. With Dillon High School always came possibilities. She had been the guidance counselor and even the Principal. Surely they'd offer her another job…she'd be good at anything. Most importantly, she had her husband on her side and had the love and respect of numerous kids who would be attending Dillon High this year. And an incredible resume never hurt anyone, either.

"So the family is coming for a visit?" Matt asked Julie after she'd hung up with her Mother. Jules got up from the kitchen table and plopped down onto the bed next to her fiancé, nodding her head.

"I feel like it's too soon, but, Mom really wants to come visit before Dad has to start coaching next month. They're going to Philadelphia first for a couple days, she's going to turn down that Dean Job I told you about," she explained to Matt. "Then they're coming here for a few days, a week, I don't know. I just feel like it's too soon and that they're invading on my life." The eighteen year old admitted.

"Hey, hey, I know. I know I'm damn sure not ready to face your Dad after all that tension at Christmas… but… if there was one thing he taught me, you got to face your problems head on eventually. Can't run forever." Matt said in a soft voice, pulling his petite girlfriend into his arms and holding her. Julie rested her head on Matt's shoulder.

"Sometimes I hate that my Dad taught you such wise things." Julie mumbled against the flesh on Matt's exposed shoulder due to him wearing a man's athletic tank top. "Well sometimes I hate that you've got so much of your Mom in you that you argue over silly stuff and usually prove me wrong all the time," Matt teased and Julie couldn't help but pull her head back and start giggling.

It was moments like these that reminded Matt Saracen why he fell in love with Julie Taylor and it was moments like this that reminded Julie why she was still so in love with Matt and would be for the rest of her life.

[*-*]

"It won't be long now," Mindy said in a quiet voice as she sat in bed next to her husband, Billy Riggins. "When do you think you'll pop?" He asked his wife, after all, she could feel what was inside her stomach—he couldn't.

"By the end of the week, without a doubt." Mindy said, sounding rather calm and collected. It had taken her this long to get used to the fact she was going to have twins. A lot of the last six months had been worrying about money, whether or not Billy was going to get a coaching position at Dillon now that the Lions team was defunct. She was looking forward to not happening to worry about that anymore.

"Twins. I'm still gob smacked," Billy said while chuckling—a hint of disbelief in his voice. Little Stevie was almost two years old now…and here they were about to bring two more babies into the world at the same time. Who'd have ever thought he and Mindy would be the parents of twins. He certainly wouldn't have guessed this four years ago when he was pursuing her at the Landing Strip for nothing more than a quick…you know what.

Billy jumped somewhat in the bed when his phone started vibrating in his pocket. He figured it would be Tim with news about Coach Taylor staying or going. Sure enough, it was his little brothers' number on the caller ID. Billy flipped his phone open and said hello.

"He's staying, Billy. He's going to sign the papers in the morning, so if I were you, I'd be at the school too. That way, you can talk negotiations for your own job," Tim suggested. It wasn't a bad idea. With Coach Taylor there negotiating his own terms, things could go in Billy's favor.

"That's good news. When will you be home, tonight?" Billy asked his brother, since he and Mindy didn't intend to burn the midnight oil, especially now if Billy was going to be at the school early in the morning. Tim was just about to answer that question when he saw a dark haired girl walk through the doors to Buddy Garrity's bar. That dark haired girl could change the flow of his entire night…and life.

"I don't know just yet, Billy. I'll see you when I see you." Tim said and with that he hung up. Billy could tell as he closed his flip phone, something had come over his little brother. Of course Billy figured that Tyra Collette, his wife Mindy's younger sister had probably just strutted into the bar…oh was Billy wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

"Since when did you own a bar, Dad?" Lyla Garrity asked her Father as she sat down at a quaint table in the middle of the bar with her Father still drinking on an expertly made tonic and gin. "Your Mother didn't tell you? I opened it about a year ago now."

"You know I talk to Mom about as often as I talk to you," she stated in a somewhat flat sounding voice. "Which is hardly ever," Buddy finished the sentence as he took a sip of his drink. Buddy Garrity and his daughter had never truly seen eye to eye. Lyla was the oldest and thus resented Buddy most for his infidelity against Lyla's Mother. Even so, that had been years ago…salt was still being poured into fresh wounds.

"I heard lil' Bud is living with you now," Lyla started to look about the bar, half expecting to see her younger brother there with her Dad tonight with a drink in his own hands, but he was nowhere to be seen. "He's a damn fine ball player these days," Buddy told his eldest child. "He's cleaned up his act, I'm real proud of him." He informed her.

Lyla nodded her head, appreciative of that. The last thing she wanted to hear was her brother was doing horribly worse than he had been in California. Lyla only hoped now that her younger sister wasn't going to suffer the same fate. Lyla had been that age before…she knew how easy it was to spiral out of control.

While Lyla had scanned over the bar for her younger brothers face—she had caught sight of another familiar one. She raised a brow at her Father. "Since when did Tim start working for you?" Perfect place for Riggins to work though, she thought to herself—a bar. How fitting.

"Since he got out of jail around eight months ago, he's actually been a real hard worker. Surprised the hell out of me," Buddy admitted and finished up his last drink of the night. After all, it was nearing one o'clock in the morning. When it dawned on him what time it was, he raised a brow at his eldest daughter.

"What brings you back to Dillon and why this late at night? You didn't call ahead," he thought back and the last time they'd spoken on the phone, she'd mentioned nothing of visiting.

"It's summer break from school, Dad. Like hell was I going to California; Dillon is home." Lyla admitted and stood up from the small table. "I'm going to go say something to Tim, then head to the hotel." Buddy was going to stop her and ask about her staying in a hotel—but she was already walking swiftly up to the bar where Riggins stood drying off a couple freshly washed beer mugs.

It had nearly knocked Tim Riggins off of his feet to see Lyla Garrity walk through the door of Buddy's bar that late at night—hell, at all. Sure, it was 'summer break,' but she hadn't come last summer…why would she now? Now he was even more astounded that she was walking across the bar seemingly wanting to speak with him…she was walking with purpose and intent in her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Garrity?" Tim questioned his ex-girlfriend. It had been a while since he was able to refer to anyone as Garrity aside from Buddy and Buddy's son, Buddy junior. It had been a while, since he'd even laid eyes on Lyla…too long, in fact.

"Why is everyone asking me that?" The doe-eyed girl asked as she took a seat on a bar stool, watching Tim as he dried some beer mugs and shot glasses. "Can't a girl come home without there being a reason?"

"This is the first time you've came home in well over a year…so no." Tim said rather flatly to which Lyla starkly replied, "you were in jail for ten months, how do you know?" Riggins had to admit—that one stung a slight bit.

"Because; had you actually been in town, you'd have come and visited me while I was in jail—if you'd have known about it." Tim stated. It was the truth—the truth was something Lyla Garrity couldn't deny. Indeed, had she known Tim had been in jail while in town, she'd have went and visited him but alas, she never did come to town…so that façade fell as quickly as it had rose.

"What's with the third degree here, Tim?" Lyla asked in a softer toned voice. Tim shook his head, starting to put the glasses back up in the cabinets above the bar where they belonged. "I'm not meaning to give you a third degree," he said honestly. "It's just been a while…" his voice trailed off. Yes, it had been a while—not just for Tim but for Lyla as well.

"At least there's something we can agree on," Lyla stated. In her several year history of knowing Tim Riggins…there hadn't always been a lot the two of them could agree on. In fact, their relationship had been based a lot on the old saying 'opposites attract.' The biggest thing Lyla and Tim ever shared in common was Jason Street and it had been several years since they shared that.

"I don't want to argue, Garrity," Tim said in an apologetic sounding voice. "It's just been a long day here at work. Not to say I'm in a terrible mood… it was a good night, just long." Which was the honest truth; it had been a good evening, but it had been long as they waited and waited for the official word from Coach.

"You're closing up, I understand. I want to hear about why it was a long night," she admitted and lent over the bar some. "I don't really feel like staying with my Dad or staying in a hotel…" her voice trailed off. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where Garrity was going with that and Tim Riggins couldn't help but to flash his infamous smirk.

[*-*]

"I'm really going to miss this," Luke said in a soft voice, not meaning to stir Becky awake if she had actually fallen asleep. Lucky for Cafferty, though, his girlfriend was still wide awake just very comfortable in his arms.

"You won't be gone forever," the seventeen year old reminded him and he nodded just slightly. Eight weeks of basic training was going to feel like forever to Luke, he knew that… "I wish you didn't have to go at all," Becky said in a very quiet voice, hoping she wouldn't upset him by voicing that.

"I know. Part of me wishes I wouldn't have signed up, but now it's done and over with…I can't take back my word. But it's just the National Guard, Becks. I won't have to go to Iraq. As soon as I'm back from basic, it'll be quiet for me unless a natural disaster happens like a tornado." Luke explained. He wasn't absolutely sure it would pan out like that…part of him really hoped it would.

As much as Luke was trying to reassure Becky that all would be okay—it tore her heart even more to hear him talk about it. The girl rose up from their pile of blankets in the back of that rusted up old Ford and looked down at him, a blanket clinging to her body since she was naked out here in the dark Texas summer heat.

"I hope you're right," she said softly. "I just don't know why you didn't pursue football…Luke you've always been good enough. I've watched you play for two years…" Becky sighed, it was a hopeless argument. Luke was so determined after all that went down with scouters using him to get to Vince that…he wasn't shit compared to his on and off again best friend, QB #1.

"I know. It's something I'll probably regret for the rest of my life, but I've got to move past it. I can't dwell on that the rest of the summer before leaving for training," he explained to his girlfriend who immediately knew he was right. There was no point in Luke's last couple of months, if he had that, to be miserable ones.

A smile crept back onto Becky Sproles' face as she lent in and kissed Luke's lips gently; when Luke pulled back he couldn't stop himself from smiling up at her. "There's my girl," he said, happiness clear in his voice as he pulled her back down to him and they continued to gaze up at the nearing two-thirty in the morning Texas sky.

Luke Cafferty had so many things running through his mind and right then, he knew Becky Sproles was the only woman who could have equaled how much was running through her own mind—and she was damn sure the only woman who could understand him and his situation.

The eighteen year old soon-to-be National Guardsman in training and his seventeen year old girlfriend fell asleep in the back of that Ford pick-up on the wide acreage that Tim Riggins had bought well over a year ago, fell asleep in one another's arms with smiles upon their faces.

[*-*]

"How's Vanderbilt University treating you, Garrity?" Tim asked Lyla after they'd got back to his place that he shared currently with his brother Billy and Billy's wife Mindy. They had left the bar about ten minutes ago and only just arrived back at his place. They hadn't talked a lot while Tim closed up the bar and locked up, not even a lot on the drive to his place.

Once they were in his bedroom though, Tim knew words would start to flow…they always did, if the actions didn't speak louder that is. "It's good. I've done my first two years; I'm ready to do my next two. I'm so ready to graduate though," Lyla admitted as she sat down on Tim's bed, watching him pull his shirt off and shove his jeans off, leaving him in only his boxers.

This wasn't something Lyla hadn't seen before, but she couldn't stop herself from starting to blush just a slight bit. "Why'd you go to jail, Tim?" Lyla questioned her ex-boyfriend, she couldn't stop the question from just falling out of her mouth…and after she'd said it, with those eyes of hers, she looked very much like a doe caught in the headlights of a large truck.

"Lay on down, Garrity," Tim said with a slight chuckle, "because this is going to be a long story." He laid himself down in the bed and pulled some covers up over himself. Lyla started to take her jewelry off and placed it in an empty money holder up on Tim's dresser. She took off her bra, pulling it out from underneath her shirt, and then shoved her jeans off leaving her in only her tee and panties.

The twenty year old crawled into the bed with Tim, beneath the covers and curled up to him like she had so many times previously although it hadn't been for quite some time that they'd been like this. Tim sighed softly before starting to inform Lyla of why he'd gone to jail. It wasn't a story he particularly wanted to tell her but if anyone needed to really know: it was her. Lyla had missed far too much of Tim's life in the last two years since going off to college…he needed to fill her in on everything. Well…maybe not everything.

[*-*]

"You're sure about this, Eric?" The superintendent asked the about-to-be reinstated head football coach of the Dillon Panthers. Eric had been thinking long and hard on this for the last several months. It was Tuesday, June 7th, 2011; he had been thinking about this since long before Christmas—before the State Championship game that he and his East Dillon Lions had won.

"What about Tami and her job offer?" He questioned Coach Taylor, who simply put on a smile and chuckled. "Tami's a little heartbroken, but she knows that this job is ultimately for the best. We're going to take a few days and go up to Philadelphia together," Eric told the superintendent and the other men in the room.

"Don't have to worry about losing you to someone up there now, do we?" Mac, another football coach for the team said while chuckling. Eric laughed a bit; it was a slightly tense laugh. "No, no, we don't have to worry about that now."

Finally, after so many months of waiting, Eric Taylor put ink to paper and a moment later his John Hancock was upon the contract for five years with the Dillon Panthers as Head Coach of the Football team and Head Coordinator for all Sports Programs at the school. "Thank you, Coach Taylor. We appreciate you staying with us," the superintendent started and Eric smiled, giving a cackle or two.

"Well, no, I want to thank you all for giving me another chance to coach the Panthers." Eric definitely wasn't going to go the whole morning without bringing up the past. It wasn't that he was a spiteful man… he had learned something over at East Dillon and that was to be prideful and his pride was still hurt over what they'd done to him, choosing Joe McCoy over him.

"So where does that leave me, Coach?" Billy Riggins asked of Eric Taylor. Eric placed his hand on Billy's shoulder and looked right at the superintendent and to the super's right, was the Chairman of the Athletic Department. "Billy is a fine young man and I've never seen a young coach like him with so much enthusiasm for the game. Billy played football a lot growing up, his brother is Tim Riggins who in my personal opinion is the best damn running back we've ever had in Dillon," to which everyone in the room agreed with him. "I believe this man here has a lot of potential. I'd like to see him do something more than just coach the special teams. He has a lot more skill than that," Eric commented.

You could tell the superintendent was thinking it over, as was everyone else in the room. What was there truly for Billy Riggins to do aside from coach the special teams? "Right now we don't have a quarterback coach for Vince Howard—if he's going to be our number one quarterback," one of the other gentlemen in the athletic department spoke up.

"I could do that. I know Timmy was a running back, but I was there for a lot of Jason Street's practices with Coach Taylor here. I know that he could make me one hell of a quarterback coach, if he would help me, that is." Billy said as he looked over to the Coach with almost pleading eyes. This was the job Billy Riggins desperately needed. It would give him a raise, even if it meant a few less hours at home.

"Well now, Billy, I think we could do that for you," the Chairman of the Athletic Department said and the superintendent of the school systems agreed. "As long as Coach Taylor agrees to teach you everything he knows," he added.

"Without a doubt, Coach will do that," Billy said as he looked from the Superintendent and Chairman back over to Coach Taylor who gave a curt nod. "I think this meeting is adjourned then, fellas," said the Chairman of the Athletic Department, reaching across the table to shake both Billy Riggins' and Coach Taylor's hand, as did the Superintendent.

As Eric and Billy were leaving the meeting and heading out to the parking lot, Billy stopped Coach Taylor and gave him one of the biggest smiles Eric had ever seen him smile in recent years—maybe aside from when Stevie was born two years ago.

"Thank you so much for this Coach, I won't let you down." Billy stated to which Eric gave him quite the heartwarming smile in return and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, I know you won't. You realize this is going to be a demanding job, son?" Eric questioned and Billy nodded.

"I know the twins are on their way but, I can do this. I know Mindy wants this for me, too," he went on and Eric nodded. "You be sure to let me know when those twins come. I know I'll want to be there, Tami will, too."

"You've got it, Coach!" Billy said enthusiastically as he got into his pick-up truck and headed back home to hopefully a still sleeping wife. Eric on the other hands, he found himself getting into his vehicle and driving towards the football field. It had been a while since he had stepped foot properly onto Hermann Field, even longer since he'd been there as Coach.

It was drawing close to nine o'clock in the morning as Coach Taylor finally stepped foot on the football field. There were a lot of memories on this field for him. So many years coaching Jason Street and then watching as the most terrible thing could have ever happened—Jason was hurt in their first game of Jason's senior year. They were vivid flashbacks that almost had Eric cringing as he remembered Street laying there, not being able to squeeze anyone's hands or move his feet.

It was nearly a week after that when they got the word that Jason Street would be paralyzed and here it was six years later and was still paralyzed…that's what killed Eric the most. But it made Eric proud knowing that even though Jason wasn't the star quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys…he was a good football agent now, and he was making a name for himself even if it wasn't the way he wanted to six years ago.

With the Street tragedy came something beautiful though: QB #2 Matt Saracen. Eric never thought that Matt would pull off becoming the star quarterback that he did and it was moments like this that Eric missed the days when Matt, Smash, and Tim Riggins were on a team together. They want to call the new Panthers slash Lions team a super group but to Coach Eric Taylor there would never be a more super-group than Matt Saracen, Smash Williams, and Tim Riggins playing with the same colors.


	3. Chapter 3

It was shortly after ten o'clock in the morning when Lyla Garrity started to stir awake. It didn't dawn on her completely at first that she was in bed with another person, so when she began to stretch…it startled her, or at least partially did, when she heard grunts coming from the other side of the bed.

"Garrity, this is too damn early to be waking up, especially on my day off," Tim mumbled as he rolled over to face her, noticing her doe-like eyes were rather large…her pupils dilated. But after a moment or two, she had calmed down and began smiling at him. "Excuse me, for waking you up, Prince Riggins," the dark haired girl teased him in a cute little giggle. Naturally Tim's infamous grin began to show and he leaned over, pressing his lips to Lyla's in a rather perfect moment between the two of them. This one was certainly one for the record books.

Lyla cooed against Tim's lips—it had been too long since they'd kissed…she could hardly remember the last time. She instinctively scooted closer to him and he wrapped his still so muscular arms tightly around her, his hand starting to absentmindedly rub over her lower back, causing Lyla's body to lightly arch into his. The kiss was bittersweet though as Lyla broke it and placed her forehead against Tim's. Lyla breathed in and out a few times slowly to calm herself before speaking.

"I didn't stay with you…for this to happen," her voice was quiet, as if she was in the wrong. She could never be in the wrong for wanting this from him, Tim thought. "I didn't let you stay with me for this to happen," Tim said honestly. He shouldn't even let this happen, it would be wrong at least on his behalf… but he loved Lyla Garrity, like he'd never loved another person before. She had honestly been the first person he had ever truly loved. For the last two years, she's all he's thought of…all he's wanted. Tim thought of Lyla day in and day out, even when he was with Tyra Collette.

That wasn't something he wanted to admit to her… he didn't want her to know about him and Tyra. Tyra wasn't here right now, was she? No, Tyra was off at college, too, in Austin, about an hour out of Dillon. But everything else aside: he was in a relationship with Tyra Collette and had been for the last six months. Tim had hurt Lyla Garrity so many times in their past and he couldn't bear to do it again by lying to her over something as…when it came right down to it, as simple as this.

"Garrity… I can't lay here with you and not tell you," he started and Lyla put her finger to his lips in an effort to shush him so he wouldn't ruin the moment. "Can't it wait?" Lyla questioned in a hushed voice and Tim shook his head slowly, he wished it could. "I've been seeing Tyra, again." Tim finally admitted, swallowing a large lump in his throat before continuing.

"For about six months now. She isn't in town right now; she's in Austin at college. But Lyla, before you go off getting mad… she's not what I want. Yeah, there was a time and place I'd have picked her over you. But that Tim Riggins is gone. He's the same one who would have slept with you, right here and now, without telling you." It sounded bad, Tim knew it…but it was the truth. One thing Lyla had always preached to him—'tell me the truth, no matter what.'

It was quite a bit for Lyla Garrity to process as she laid there in Tim Riggins' arms, hearing him pretty much confess that he was seeing Tyra again…but that it meant nothing to him. That should make her mad, to hear a man say he was seeing someone without having genuine feelings for them. She sighed some and nodded her head, in this case she understood perfectly. "You and I… we'll never work because I'm in Nashville and you're here…" her voice trailed off. Tim had already come to that conclusion, it didn't take a college scholar and plus…that's why they hadn't been together in two years now.

"I love Tyra, don't get me wrong. She's been here for me when no other woman was… but it's not her that I think about first thing in the morning or last thing at night. When I think of Texas forever and living in that house I'm building on that acreage outside of town… it's you I see living there with me, not Tyra." Part of Tim ached as he admitted that to Lyla…because, it was the truth. It was so much the truth that it hurt. And he knew when he finally had to admit it to Tyra, it would kill him. Especially after what Tyra had admitted to him…

"I feel like shit saying that, Garrity. She deserves better than a guy like me… a guy who is laying here with another woman, the woman he's in love with… But, I guess I'm going to sound a lot like Coach's wife when I say this… can we really choose who we fall in love with? Really, can we?" Tim asked the dark haired girl in his arms.

When Tim Riggins spoke like this… well, it was right now that Lyla loved him most. Sure, Lyla loved him when he was a drunk, stumbling, babbling buffoon but… these were the moments she longed for. These were the moments that were only shared with her. That thought right there brought a smile to Lyla's lips and when Tim noticed it…he knew for now everything would be okay.

[*-*]

"How'd everything go?" Tami asked as she heard the front door open and shut at a little after ten o'clock in the morning. "Took you a while," she commented as Eric stepped from the foyer into the living room, laying his hat down on the table before taking a seat on the couch across from his wife who was in the recliner.

"Went well. I signed the contract and got Billy a better position. I've been on the field for a while now, just thinking about things." Eric explained to his wife, who nodded understandingly. Tami knew it must be a lot for Eric to actually be coaching the Panthers again. Just like for Eric, there were a lot of vivid memories on that Panthers field for Tami as well.

"Got Billy a better job, huh?" Tami asked and quirked a brow. Eric smirked just slightly. "He's going to be quarterback coach for Vince Howard, that's if Vince is going to be QB #1." Of course right now, Eric had every intention of Vince becoming the Dillon Panthers' QB #1. In fact, since Eric was going to have to begrudgingly see Matt Saracen in Chicago on his and Tami's visit—he was thinking of asking Matt to call and talk with Vince. Quarterback to quarterback.

"That's great news," Tami said enthusiastically. Billy Riggins definitely needed a job like quarterback coach. Tami knew that Mindy was about to bring twins into the world and although quarterback coaching was a fulltime commitment, they needed the income and Billy Riggins definitely had the spirit and drive for the job.

"I told him to be sure to let us know when Mindy goes into labor," Eric said as he stood up from the couch and walked through to the kitchen, grabbing a cold bottle of soda out of the refrigerator. "Good, good, I don't want to miss that. I've been putting together a little basket for her since she didn't have a proper baby shower this time around," Tami commented and stood up from the recliner, walking over to the kitchen table where the items for the basket were strewn out.

Tami liked to go overboard sometimes and liked things to match and be colorful and whatnot…so the basket was far from completed since it was far from perfect in Mrs. Taylor's eyes. Eric stepped over beside his wife and looked over the things for the basket. They were things that most people, even as a guy he has noticed would overlook for newborn babies. He wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and kissed the top of her head. Boy, she thought of everything, didn't she?

"Oh. News on the Philadelphia trip," Tami started and Eric groaned in a bit of fake frustration as he skulked from the kitchen table back over to the couch with his cold bottle of soda in hand. "Oh Eric, come on now," Tami said while rolling her eyes at the sounds her husband was making.

"Alright, alright, let me hear it." His hand gripped the bottle tightly; this could be good or bad news knowing his wife of the last nineteen years. "Well, I called and asked about the tickets and dates of flights… I figured we should finish the week out and weekend just in case Mindy has the twins or any more Football contract negotiations are made," that was good thinking on his wife's behalf.

"I thought maybe we could leave out Monday morning. There's a flight out of Austin to Philadelphia on Monday morning at 7:15." That was a little early, even for the Coach but, at least his wife had given them the rest of the week to pack and they wouldn't have to do it in a blind fury.

"Sounds great to me, hon." Eric said as Tami bent over in front of him at the couch and kissed his lips gently. "We're going to have fun, right?" Tami asked as she straightened up in front of him, to which Eric laughed and smiled, "well of course. The Taylor's in Philadelphia and Chicago, sounds like fun to me."

[*-*]

"I think my little brother must have brought your sister home last night. I heard voices in his room when I walked past," Billy said softly to his wife who looked the size of a massive boulder laying there in their queen size bed. He had just got home about five minutes ago from the meeting that morning with Coach and the super at the school.

"Screw Timmy and Tyra's love life, I want to hear how it went with you at the school," Mindy said, her voice slightly strained as she resituated herself there on the bed so she was more sitting upward instead of laying in the bed.

"It went really good," Billy said as he sat down at the edge of the bed, taking his wife's hand in his own. "I got a promotion," he said, his grin ear to ear. Mindy squeaked, excitedly. "What kind of promotion?" She questioned enthusiastically.

"It means slightly less hours at home…more commitment but a lot more money," Billy started. "I'm going to be quarterback coach." Mindy was no fool when it came to football, having grown up in Dillon, Texas. She knew exactly what it was going to take of Billy to be quarterback coach. Part of her was a little disappointed that he wouldn't be at home quite as often but the other half of her knew the salary that would come with it…and she was excited for that.

"That's great!" She squeaked again and squeezed Billy's hand. "You should go tell Tim and Tyra. Tell her skanky ass I want to actually see her this time!" The last time Tyra had visited Tim overnight; Tyra hadn't stayed long enough to even spend time with her very pregnant sister. Billy did as his wife was asking him and walked through to the other room, knocking on the door lightly.

"Tim? I've got good news. Why don't you and Tyra come on out of there and I'll share it with you," Billy said, loud enough that Tim would hear him through the door and over his and Tyra's voices. "Well, there's one problem with that Billy." Tim said where his brother could hear him. Billy could hear someone getting dressed in the room and when the door came open, Billy was rather gob smacked to see the dark haired Lyla Garrity standing in front of him and not Tyra Collette.

"Holy shit," Billy mouthed and chuckled a bit. "It's been a long, long time since we've seen you around here," he admitted. Billy had always liked Lyla—honestly more than he even ever liked Mindy's younger sister, Tyra. Only because Lyla had proved to be such a good thing for Tim…unlike all the years he spent pursuing Tyra.

"It's good to see you, too, Billy." Lyla laughed somewhat and rubbed over the back of her head awkwardly. "And before you or Mindy ask—I know about Tim and Tyra. We didn't sleep together," she admitted. Of course it was probably more than what Billy needed to hear but at least it made him feel a little bit better about his brother…at least Tim hadn't cheated.

"Well at least you're here in Dillon. I know Tim's missed you a bunch. We're having twins," Billy blurted out and Lyla laughed, nodding her head. "I know, Tim told me. It should be this week sometime? Congrats," she said and hugged Billy who was just so excited.

"Well, okay. Tim and Lyla, I got good news so why don't y'all both finish getting dressed and come to mine and Mindy's room?" Billy offered before disappearing. Lyla retreated back into Tim's bedroom and finished putting on her jewelry while the former running back actually got dressed for the day. While they were doing that, Billy went back to his bedroom to inform Mindy… it wasn't Tyra. It was Lyla who had slept over… of course Mindy was a little shocked at this. Hell when was the last time any of them had heard a word out of Lyla Garrity?

[*-*]

"The sun feels so good," Becky whispered as she clung to Luke Cafferty, still lying on a pile of blankets in the back of his rusted old Ford pick-up on Tim Riggins' land. A thin blanket laid on top of them to shield their exposed flesh from the sunrays—they'd only just woke up a little bit ago and hadn't bothered to move yet. It was drawing close to eleven o'clock in the morning according to Luke's watch.

"It really does… Your skin feels better though…" Luke purred in a soft voice as he rubbed over Becky's bare hip underneath the blanket. He was stirred out of his less than savory thoughts of Becky by the sound of footsteps and then someone clearing their throat. He jumped some and rose up, looking face to face with a slender faced dark haired girl.

"Oh shit," she said quietly and laughed softly more to herself. "I thought you were going to be Tim. I'm so sorry," she apologized, sounding kind of stupid. She felt bad about sneaking up on this guy. Luke had no idea who this girl was, but Becky recognized the voice as she rose up from the bed of the truck and grinned. "Tyra!"

"Oh God, Becky." Tyra laughed a bit more heartily, rather startled to see the young girl here. This situation was getting more and more awkward as she noticed both the guy and Becky were naked. Becky immediately covered up her breasts and bit on her lower lip. "Before you ask… yes Billy and Mindy know I'm here and who I'm with," of course Tyra wasn't even about to ask that. "Get dressed and we'll go for breakfast or something, the three of us. I'm dying to know your beau," Tyra teased the young Becky who nodded and started getting dressed.

Tyra walked back up the hill to her own car and waited while Luke and Becky got dressed. "Who the hell is that girl?" Luke asked, thinking that he'd heard the name Tyra before…she did kind of look familiar. "It's Tim's girlfriend and Mindy's sister. Tyra Collette," it then dawned on him after that. It was quite the small world after all.

As Tyra sat in the car, on looking the truck at the bottom of the hill… she smiled a little. This kid and Becky were a lot like she and Tim at their age. Well, hell, she and Tim had been even younger. It was a relief to her though that it hadn't been Tim in the back of that truck. She had feared it was either him laying drunk by himself…or that he was with another girl. Tim was better than that these days though, she hadn't needed to worry about that at all, and she reassured herself of that.

Luke and Becky finally finished getting dressed and they waved to Tyra from the bottom of the hill in the cab of his Ford before driving out of the gulley and up to the road. Through the window, Tyra and Becky only had to say one word to one another. "Applebee's." After all, it was nearly lunch anyway.

[*-*]

"Well, well, well, look what the cat drug in," Vince said behind the counter at Ray's BBQ on the East Dillon end of town. "How's college been treating you, man?" He asked his former team mate and former rival of Jess's heart, Landry Clarke.

Landry hadn't been in Dillon since Christmas but now it was the first week of June and he was finished with his classes after his first year of college so of course he would return home. Jess was still one of his best friends, since Matt was off in Chicago, so he thought he'd come by Ray's BBQ and see what she was up to on this already rather hot Texas day.

"It's going good, man, how are you things with you?" Landry asked as he looked up at the menu for something to order. He was rather famished after the drive back into town. "It's real good. I guess you know about the school closing down, yeah?" Vince asked and Landry nodded his head. "We're all going to the Dillon Panthers." He went on and Landry nodded to that as well.

"Has Coach Taylor officially signed up to coach?" The last Landry had heard at Christmas, Coach and his wife might be off to Philadelphia soon. Vince chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah. He's made us wait this long in suspense but he signed the papers this morning. They're staying here for another five years," Vince said rather excitedly. He couldn't imagine being on a team coached by anyone else but Coach Taylor. Honestly, Landry Clarke couldn't have pictured anyone else either if he were still playing for them.

"That's good man, real good. Where's Jess at, on lunch?" Landry asked and Vince looked a little bewildered. Landry raised a brow, "did I miss something?" He asked Vince who rung up Landry's order and gave him the change out of his $20. Vince stepped around the counter while one of the girls got Landry's food together.

"You're out of the loop," Vince said simply and put his hand on Landry's shoulder. Landry swallowed hard, this couldn't be good.


	4. Chapter 4

"So this is the boyfriend you were talking about the last time I was in town?" Tyra questioned Becky over a plate of short ribs at Applebee's at a quarter to noon. Becky nodded her head, swallowing a bite of food. "It's been a rocky road," Becky admitted after she had swallowed and started to sip on a glass of sweet ice tea.

"We've had a lot of obstacles to overcome…" Luke admitted in a soft voice, sitting there beside Becky and across from Tyra. Luke, being a typical man, he was already finished with his plate of lunch. These two ladies: they talked more than they chewed or at least it seemed that way to Luke.

"Are you the one who…." Tyra's voice trailed off and Luke nodded. He knew where she was going with that. The abortion… that had been his baby. Luke and Becky, even now, both ultimately knew they were in no position at that point to have a baby together. They weren't even in a stable situation right now for Becky to get pregnant.

It had taken a lot for Luke Cafferty to forgive Becky Sproles over the abortion. Over time, he had come around to understanding it was for the best. It didn't mean they couldn't ever have kids in the future if the opportunity arose… It just meant that right then: it hadn't been the right time.

"Well you two remind me a lot of Tim and me… except he and I were a lot younger." Tyra went on, licking her fingers of the tasty barbecue sauce that adorned the ribs upon her plate. "Although I got to admit. You two are probably keeping it a lot more PG-13 than Tim and I did." She laughed, thinking back on the days when they were just lost teenagers at Dillon High.

Tyra had been extremely lost, that was until Tami Taylor came into her life. Tyra thought she was destined to be her big sister, Mindy Collette-Riggins. Work at the landing strip, marry a Riggins, Dillon…Dillon…Dillon. Everything her Mother or her sister did revolved around Dillon, Texas. There was going to be no getting out for her—or at least that's what she had told herself every single day, because no one had ever told her differently until Mrs. Taylor came along.

"Tim seems so docile now compared to what he was like…" Becky admitted and Tyra nodded. "If you'd have gone to jail for ten months, I'm sure you'd be more docile, too afterwards." That wasn't it though, Becky thought to herself. Tim was different even before he went to jail, to the Tim that Tyra referred to in her old stories. Becky wasn't quite sure when the change happened since she hadn't known Tim Riggins for all the years Tyra Collette had…but the change happened somewhere. It had happened.

"So. Luke, you've graduated?" Tyra asked the male sitting across from her and he nodded. "I've joined the National Guards," he admitted and she gasped a bit. "A military man! Becks, you didn't tell me," Tyra fake whined with excitement.

Becky laughed softly and rolled her shoulders a little. "It really only recently happened and became official… we still don't even know when he leaves for basic training." The seventeen year old admitted. She hoped it would be later rather than sooner. "Well I think it's very respectable you joined the Guards. It'll definitely whip your ass into shape, that's for sure." Tyra commented.

Luke cackled and agreed. "That's exactly what my parents are saying. I'm this farm boy from Dillon, Texas, who also learned to love football. They say the military or at least the Guards are exactly what I need to take the country out of the boy and make me a man." Those had been his Mother's near exact words.

Becky, however, didn't quite see it that way. It hurt her to know that Luke was going off to…what was in her mind: war. Even though he reassured her time and time again that basic training was nothing like that, it still frightened the hell out of the young girl. She respected Luke for joining the Guards, yes. He was turning into such an amazing young man and Becky was so honored to be his girlfriend…but she still felt like it wasn't right.

Becky believed Luke was already a wonderful young man for being a farmer, for being a football player. He was already amazing, he didn't have to join the National Guard to be that way to her… so he didn't know why Luke's parents were saying those things when they simply weren't true, at least not for her.

[*-*]

"Wow. I've met Dallas Walker a few times. He's definitely a tough coach…" Landry's voice trailed off. He was pleasantly stunned at what Vince had shared with him, about where Jess was and what she was doing. Landry had been off to college and had no idea that Jess and her family had moved to Dallas, Texas, several hours away from Dillon. He was happy for her family and the opportunity to make Ray's BBQ into a great food chain. Landry was even more surprised, though, when Vince told him that Jess was now under the tutelage of Dallas Walker.

Landry could remember a few times, especially when playing for the Dillon Panthers, when Coach would call in Dallas Walker for advice. Landry had met him a few different times, although to be frank they weren't on a first name basis or anything. Then again, Coach Taylor was famous for referring to Landry as 'Lance.'

"Coach Taylor put in a real good word for Jess. She did a great job being our equipment manager…" Vince's voice began to trail off. Just when he had gotten used to having Jess on "the team," it was then that she had to leave him. It was just as Vince was getting happy, settled…he didn't feel lost anymore, that now he felt more lost than ever. Vince missed Jess more than words could even begin to describe…

"Well, I'm sorry to hear she moved away, but I'm glad she's got out of here to make a name for herself. Believe me, it's easier said than done," Landry admitted as he finished up his two barbecue sandwiches with potato salad and baked beans. "I guess some of us are lucky enough to get out of Dillon completely, while others… well, my family is still here. I'll never leave for good," Landry sighed just a bit at that notion. It seemed Matt had gotten away completely…and maybe Jess, too.

"I'm glad to hear that though, man. I don't want to lose any more friends." It meant a lot to Landry to hear Vince call them friends. Their friendship had started off so rocky that honestly Landry never thought they'd come this far. Especially when they had been fighting over Jess for the longest of time… It actually pepped up Landry's attitude for the afternoon.

"What about everybody else?" Landry asked and Vince slowly started to fill him in on Cafferty joining the National Guards. Tinker was still…Tinker. Landry and Vince talked about Julie and Matt as well, even though Vince didn't know them as well as Landry did. He missed his best friend Matt, who was up in Chicago… He missed him on holidays, hell; he missed him every morning when he woke up. For almost three years Landry had driven Matt to school nearly every day… he missed that the very most.

Vince and Landry talked about a lot of things outside of Ray's BBQ that afternoon. Football, school in general, Vince's Mother and how she was doing… a lot of things. Somehow all their conversations ended up going back to Jess…Vince kind of liked that, to be honest. It was almost like she wasn't gone at all.

[*-*]

"It's beautiful, Tim," Lyla's soft voice stirred Tim Riggins out of his own thoughts. They'd been standing here for about ten minutes now, just taking in the beauty of the land that surrounded them for what seemed like miles. Tim absolutely had to show Lyla this before she disappeared back to college for the next year. After all, it was her that he imagined living on this land with. It was memories of her and of Street that had urged Tim within his mind to go through with buying the land in the first place.

"Billy and I have been working real hard on the house. I know it barely looks done… but, we've been working for a few months on it now." Tim admitted. "It's all paid off now… it's all mine. Everyone seems so proud. Like this land has… made me a man." Tim went on, rather astounded at the way people treated him now that he owned 'big time Texas land,' and was building a house. It was almost like they'd forgotten the sleazy, worthless, drunk man he used to be.

"It kind of does, Tim. You're almost twenty years old; you've got a house being built on land that you own. Not a lot of people here can say that. Hell, not even my Dad." Lyla said softly in a tone of almost defeat. She sighed in content as she felt Tim wrap his arms around her from behind, the two of them looking out at the land together.

"He can always have a piece for his own house…" Tim whispered into Lyla's ear, holding her tightly to him. "Anyone you want to have a piece… I'd give it to them. Because this land is yours, too… There's only one other person I'd ever truly share this land with aside from you…" Tim's voice trailed off. Lyla didn't even have to hear him say it.

"Jason would be so happy for you. Have you called him and told him?" Lyla asked and Tim nodded his head slowly. "I have, since I got out of jail. He was here in town during football season at the end of last year but I was still in jail…he didn't have time to come see me. He was here really as a favor to the Panthers," Tim explained.

"He should really come and see it. Texas Forever has never been so close to being reality." Lyla admitted and turned in Tim's arms, gazing up into his eyes. So many times she'd looked up into his eyes…and even into Street's. She'd been in this situation so many times, but it had never felt more right than right now.

For years, Lyla Garrity beat herself up over the fact she had fallen in love with her ex-boyfriend Jason Street's best friend. But right now at twenty years old… she knew she was home with Timmy Riggins. Tim completed her in ways that Jason never did. No boyfriend ever could.

"I am going to say the summer," Lyla finally admitted, pushing some loose strands of hair out of Tim's face. "I wanna watch you and Billy build on the house," she grinned rather widely, ear to ear almost. Tim felt himself go somewhat weak at the knees. But a piece of him…he questioned: would she really stay for the summer?

They walked around the land for the longest time. Lyla told Tim about what she envisioned the house looking like… she envisioned an in-ground pool but also agreed with Tim that part of it should be a farm. The land shouldn't go to waste and not be used as a natural habitat to some animals. Part of her did envision her Dad having a small place on the other side of the land… she felt so bad for him right now. Even though Buddy was running a very successful bar…it still wasn't what he wanted out of life and Lyla knew that. Lyla knew her Father would never be completely happy without notoriety and the fortune that came with it.

Lyla felt more at home here in Dillon, right here with Tim, than she had ever felt. Honestly…she was starting to get the notion of never leaving again… she'd keep that to herself for now. The two of them watched a beautiful sunset together that evening on Tim's piece of land. It warmed Lyla's heart and soul to spend this time with Tim and honestly? It did the same for him.

Tim loved and adored Tyra Collette, and he felt bad that he was here, sharing a moment so perfect with Lyla Garrity after spending quite a few moments with Tyra here…but he wasn't IN love with Tyra like he was with Lyla. Lyla would always be Tim's 'end all girl.' There was nothing that was going to change that.

[*-*]

"Tim, is that you?" Billy called from the bedroom. He had been tending to Mindy who was having some small cramps along with a few contractions. The doctor had said that contractions could start a few days prior to Mindy's water breaking. Birthing twins was going to be a lot different than Stevie's birth…the doctor had forewarned.

"No, it's Tyra. Tim isn't here?" Tyra called out from the kitchen, putting her car keys and purse down on the bar and walking to the sound of Billy's voice. She found her brother-n-law and sister in the bedroom. Mindy looked as if she had a fever, but soon Tyra realized it was only from some pain.

"How long has she been like this?" Tyra asked in a quiet voice as to not disturb her sister who looked like she was concentrating on anything else but the pain at that moment. "About twenty minutes. The doctor said she could have pretty bad contractions for days before her actual water breaks… twins are going to be the death of us," Billy admitted in just as quiet of a voice.

"I went down to Tim's land this morning when I first got into town thinking he'd be there working on the house… didn't find him, but I did find somebody else." Tyra started and Billy chuckled a bit, only imagining what she could have found.

"I found Becky and Luke naked in the back of his truck," with Tyra admitting that, Mindy howled out in half pain and half laughter. Both Tyra and Billy looked at Mindy like she was crazy, but after a few moments the pain had subsided thanks to her laughter.

"I think the babies like laughing," Mindy pointed out and resituated herself somewhat in the bed now that the pain had eased. Then Tyra realized there was a little tenseness in the room so the dark haired female with blond roots showing quirked a brow. "What are you two keeping from me?"

"Lyla's in town for the summer," Billy said in a very soft voice. He really didn't have to say anything more… Tyra's heart had already fell out of her chest and tumbled to the cold wooden floor. She remembered one of the last times she and Tim spent together about a month ago, she had optimistically started thinking maybe Lyla Garrity would never come back to Dillon. Apparently those thoughts were thought a little too soon.

"I know she and Tim spent a lot of last night talking. I don't think they slept together," he admitted, knowing maybe that would ease Tyra's suspicious mind. "They left earlier today. I don't know where they were going. I know Tim has the day off so I don't think he'd go to the bar on his day off," Billy went on. "Why didn't you stop by here sooner to see if he was home?" He asked his sister-n-law.

"Well after I found Becky and her man in the back of the truck, we all went to Applebee's for some lunch. I never thought I would miss Tim cavorting with Lyla." There was an edge of ice to Tyra's voice. Billy didn't exactly hear it but Mindy could, loud and clear.

"Ty-bear don't go off getting really upset. It's not going to help you or me… Maybe they just need some time together. This was the first I've seen her in two years… I don't think Tim is out to break your heart this time," Mindy said of her brother-n-law. Tim had changed a lot since jail and even Tyra knew that… but had he changed so much that he really loved her, Tyra, and not Lyla anymore?

[*-*]

"Who the hell could be calling this early in the damn morning?" Eric grumbled as he rolled around the bed he shared with his wife, Tami. Tami was slightly more subtle even when being woke up in what she would call the middle of the night. She glanced at the clock beside the bed and it read 4:15 in the morning on Wednesday, June 8th, 2011.

She picked up the cordless house phone and answered it with a simple and soft spoken 'hello.' "Tami? It's Tyra; I'm so sorry to wake you and Eric up…" the girls voice trailed off until Tami replied. "Oh, Tyra, no, it's okay sweetheart. Is something wrong?" Tami had heard a slight undertone of distress in the younger girls' voice.

"Billy wanted me to call you and Coach. My sister's in labor. We just now got to the hospital; he's gone back with her while I get ahold of you and try getting ahold of Tim." Tyra explained. Of course, the excitement in Tami's own stomach began to churn. "I'll be up there as soon as I can get up there. You keep calling to get ahold of Tim."

Tami hung up abruptly and shook Eric back awake. He grumbled something incoherent, and then looked up at her in the dim light of the bedroom like she was a devil in the night. "It is not football season yet. I refuse to wake up this early," he mumbled and rolled over to his other side.

"Eric, Mindy's in labor." There were a lot of thoughts going through Eric's head right then. A sliver of him wanted to tell his wife to go to hell, and then the other part of him remembered promising Billy Riggins that he and Tami would be there.

Eric sighed some as he rolled out of the bed and went straight to the bathroom as a typical man would. Tami knew this was going to be a very long morning for them and God knows for who else.


	5. Chapter 5

Tuesday evening after watching a beautiful sunset on his piece of land, Tim and Lyla had driven to the outskirts of town to an old lake that held special memories for himself, Lyla, and even Jason Street. It was where the notion of Texas Forever had truly begun all those years ago.

Tim and Lyla hadn't meant to stay there all night but they'd dozed off sometime after midnight. They'd laid in the back of Tim's truck for hours just talking on an old blanket, with soft music playing in the background and the crickets chirping. But sleep had consumed them so it had been quite a startle when about 4:25 AM Tim finally stirred awake enough to hear his phone ringing. Something in his gut told him it was an emergency.

He hadn't answered it in time, but whoever had called left a voicemail. Upon listening to it, Tim was feeling slightly frantic. He lightly shook Lyla awake. The doe-eyed girl looked up at Tim just a bit bewildered. She didn't even remember falling asleep or even where she was but it all came back to her within a moment.

"Mindy's in labor. We've got to get into town." Tim said in a quiet voice, trying to stay calm as to give Lyla a chance to wake up. The dark haired girl nodded her head and started slipping her body out of the back of the truck, gathering up the blanket and her phone and things like that from the back.

Five minutes later, they were back on the road headed into Dillon to the hospital. Ten minutes after that, they'd arrived out front. Tim and Lyla both rushed into Dillon Community Hospital and skidded to a halt in the middle of the hallway where Tyra Collette, Coach Taylor and his wife stood waiting on them.

"Where have you been, Tim?" Tyra asked, sounding rather infuriated. "I've been trying to call you for the last thirty minutes to no avail." She kept snarling off, part of it was because of her own nerves about her sister giving birth.

"Damn, Tyra, chill out. I'm here now. I got your first voicemail. I just thought it'd take more time to get here by calling you back," he pointed out. "Lyla and I were out at the old lake. We didn't mean to stay there all night. We fell asleep talking about the old days. Something I've needed," Tim added at the end—of course that didn't make Tyra Collette feel any better.

"You know, you could have involved me with your plans with lil' miss Garrity over here," Tyra continued being snarky. "Then I wouldn't be so worried about my boyfriend and his former ex-girlfriend spending time together," Tyra was preparing to say something else and Lyla was gearing up to have a go back at Tyra when Tami Taylor put her hand upon Tyra's shoulder to end the quarreling.

"Right now isn't the time and this sure isn't the place," she said quietly. "Coach hasn't had enough sleep, you've all not had enough sleep, and if you don't watch out, Eric will have you all outside doing push-ups until the baby is born." That was enough of a threat to get the three of them to simmer down and at least put their focus back on Mindy who was upstairs in the labor ward with Billy preparing to have twins.

After ten or so minutes of silently waiting, a nurse came into the hallway looking at the group of them. "Mr. Riggins is asking for his brother, and Mrs. Riggins is asking for her sister." The nurse said softly. Tim looked over to Tyra where she was sitting. The both of them wore a face like something had gone wrong…they hoped like hell it hadn't.

Tyra stood up and walked over to Tim, grasping his arm tightly out of nervousness as they walked to the OB area with the nurse. Eric, Tami, and Lyla however were still in the waiting room. Lyla looked over to Mrs. Taylor with her doe-eyes somewhat wide.

"You don't think something has gone wrong, do you, Tami?" Lyla asked, after all—she wasn't a Mother; Tami shook her head with a small smile. "No. I think Billy and Mindy just want Tyra and Tim to see the twins first. They are family, after all." Tami's voice was soft as to not harm Lyla's feelings more than they'd already been hurt. "I'm sure we'll all be able to go in very soon to see the twins." Tami reassured the younger woman.

Lyla had known for the last going on twenty-four hours now that Tim was with Tyra…he was dating her. But it wasn't Tyra who Tim had spent the last twenty-four hours with… it had been her. A piece of her wanted to see Tim kick Tyra to the curb and take her back…but Lyla Garrity was a selfless person and if it meant that Tim and Tyra could be happy together…she'd leave Dillon and go back to college. Just seeing Tyra clutch onto Tim like that, like Tim was everything to Tyra… it put things into perspective for Lyla Garrity.

Back in the OB area, Tim and Tyra were shown into the room that Billy and Mindy were in. As they walked through the door, the two of them took a sigh of relief. It was over: Billy was holding one twin and Mindy was holding the other. It looked to Tim and Tyra to be a boy and a girl…one wrapped in blue and the other wrapped in pink.

"Everything's fine?" Tyra finally croaked as they fully walked into the room and Mindy nodded her head, although she was somewhat drugged now after birthing the twins. "She did phenomenal." Billy praised his wife, looking over to his brother and to Tyra. "A boy and a girl, can you believe that?" Billy asked quietly, a tone of disbelief hidden in his voice as he gazed down once more at the beautiful baby boy in his arms. There he was with his second son in his arms and his first daughter in his wife's arms.

"Have you thought of names yet, Billy?" Tim asked his older brother as he took a seat next to the hospital bed, Tyra sitting down in Tim's lap. It was the little moments like this with their families intermingled that… Tim felt like he belonged with Tyra Collette, and with him feeling like that—you could only imagine how right this felt to Tyra. Tim's wrapped his arms around Tyra's waist as he held her there in his lap, looking to his brother and sister-n-law.

"We want to name our son Timothy Eric. After two amazing men," Billy admitted, looking right over to his younger brother and almost looking completely into his soul. Tim couldn't deny: he was feeling a bit emotional after that. "What about the baby girl?" Tyra asked her older sister, Mindy.

"We've fought a little more with this name but I think we found the perfect one. Tyra Christina. I've always liked the name Christina but… you're my lil' sister and my biggest inspiration in life Ty-bear, so I wanted to name her after you," Mindy said in a very quiet voice, her voice was almost gone from screaming so much during labor. "We'll probably nickname her Chrissy…and with Timothy Eric, we'll probably call him Timmy. The perfect twin names: Timmy and Chrissy."

Just like with Tim, it shook Tyra to the core—in a good way—that her older sister had named her first daughter after her. And for Mindy to call Tyra her biggest inspiration in life, well, that made the younger Collette sister feel like she was on top of the world. Never in a million years did she ever think she'd be an inspiration for her older sister.

"We also want you two to be the Godparents," Billy said as he walked around the hospital bed to where Tyra sat in Tim's lap, letting her take the precious baby Timothy Eric out of his arms. Tyra clutched the baby properly, looking down at its cute, scrunched up sleeping face. It made her think of how amazing it was going to be when she and Tim had kids, maybe a couple years later…

"I don't think I'd make a good Dad… I barely make a good Uncle," Tim whispered as he watched Tyra with baby Timmy Riggins. He hadn't even meant to voice that concern out loud but somehow, he guessed, it was meant to slip out.

"Just because you've done some bad things in the past, Tim, doesn't mean you wouldn't make a good Dad," Mindy said from the hospital bed, still holding baby Tyra Christina. "Look at Billy and myself. I'm a career stripper… and he's done just as many criminal things as you have… and I think we've made good parents…don't you?" Mindy asked, finally breaking her gaze away from baby Chrissy to look over to Tim.

Tim couldn't argue with that logic. Three years ago, before Stevie was born…he couldn't have imagined his brother and Mindy making good parents but somehow they'd pulled it off. He only wished he wouldn't have missed ten months of it being in jail. At least Billy and Mindy had taken so many photos and videos that some days it felt like he hadn't missed a thing at all.

[*-*]

Luke Cafferty had already been awake an hour and a half before he went back upstairs to wake up his still sleeping girlfriend, Becky Sproles. In the Cafferty household, usually, sleeping past six o'clock in the morning was a sin…unless it was a holiday morning, where sometimes they could be found snoozing as late as eight o'clock.

Breakfast was about to be placed on the table and Luke knew his mother, Susan, would want Becky down to eat with them. He sat down gently on the edge of his bed and lightly shook Becky's shoulder. The seventeen year old female grumbled, her eyes barely opening. "Too early, Lukey," she mumbled and rolled to her other side, a snore erupting from her.

Luke laughed, honestly thinking it was one of the cutest things he'd ever seen or heard in his entire life. He shook her shoulder again gently, earning more grumbles from his girlfriend. "Fine… I'll get up," she muttered, sounding somewhat hateful first thing in the morning.

"I'm not trying to be the bad guy," Luke said while cackling more so to himself. "Breakfast is almost on the table. Mom wants you down to eat with us," he explained. It was that kind of motivation that finally had Becky Sproles rolling out of the bed and slipping on some clothes.

"I'll be down in a few minutes," she said as she gathered up some of her toiletries out of a bag and headed for the bathroom. While Becky freshened up, Luke went back downstairs and sat down at the kitchen table. His father, Mike, sat at the very end of the table where most Dads' would sit. His Mother was still slaving over the stove, finishing up the last of the breakfast. They were having sausage, fried eggs, biscuits and gravy.

"She'll be down in a few minutes," Luke informed his parents as he took a piece of the newspaper his Father was finished reading and started reading it himself. It passed the time rather quickly and before he knew it, Becky sat down in the chair right next to him at the breakfast table.

"Everything sure smells good, Mrs. Cafferty," Becky said in a soft tone of voice, her stomach starting to growl now because of the wonderful smell. "Thank you, Becky, and please call me Susan or Susie," the woman said in a hospitable tone, setting a plate of food down in front of Becky and then one in front of Luke. Luke placed the newspaper down in an empty chair and waited for blessing to be said.

Susan placed a plate of food down in front of her husband, and then sat down to her own, where she sat next to her husband. The four of them bowed their heads and Mr. Cafferty said a short prayer before they began to eat.

"The food's delicious, Mom," Luke complimented his Mother and of course Becky agreed. For once, she was actually keeping pace with Luke and his fast eating considering it tasted so good and she was just that hungry. She supposed she hadn't eaten since Applebee's yesterday with Luke and Tyra. "Thank you, kids," Susan smiled at the two of them.

It was during the calmness of breakfast that Becky decided to check her phone and noticed a text from Tim's phone. 'The twins are here. Stop by the hospital when you get a chance, Becks.' Becky squeaked some out of excitement. The Cafferty's looked to her, brows raised. "I'm so sorry," she started, feeling bad about interrupting their conversations and breakfast.

"Billy and Mindy had their twins, so I'm excited to go see them after breakfast." Becky grinned and Luke couldn't help himself from grinning, too. "I'll take you to see them after we eat. I know how badly you've been waiting for them to come," he admitted and the two of them finished up eating rather quickly, before Luke's parents had finished.

"You'll be back to help me with the cattle?" Mike asked Luke and he nodded immediately. "I'll visit for a few and then come back home. Becky won't mind spending the day with her extended family?" Luke asked in a questioning tone and Becky nodded her head. "It's where I need to be today," the seventeen year old admitted and the Cafferty's agreed with her.

[*-*]

"Lyla," Tim's voice brought Lyla Garrity out of her thoughts as she sat there in the waiting room, half asleep. He had stepped out from the OB ward and went back downstairs to the waiting room to tell everyone that the twins were fine and they could come up to see them. It had dawned to Tim how worried they must have been…especially with the grim faces he and Tyra wore as they had went upstairs earlier.

"You look exhausted," he commented to the dark haired Lyla who was just about asleep in the chair; he knelled down in front of her, looking up into her sleep deprived eyes. Lyla shook her head some, reaching forward and playing with Tim's shoulder length dirty-blond hair. It calmed her like no one would believe, not even Tim understood it.

"How're the twins?" Lyla asked in a quiet voice and Tim started to smile quite largely, which immediately melted away any and all worry she had in her fragile heart and mind. "They're great," he admitted and stood up slowly, looking over to Coach and Tami who sat across the hallway from Lyla.

"Billy and Mindy are ready for everyone to come see them." Tim noticed next to Tami was a large basket full of things, she hadn't had that earlier, but he wasn't going to question when she'd went and got it or anything, he was just appreciative that she was that thoughtful. He was sure Mindy would love it, since it was so bright and colorful.

Eric and Tami got up from their seats, Tami clutching the basket and they began the ascension in the elevator up to the OB ward to visit with Billy and Mindy, and the newly arrived twins. Tim however, still stood next to Lyla in the hallway. She yawned, clutching onto his side.

"You're too tired for this?" Tim asked her, looking down at how her eyes were shut, feeling the weight of her body against him. He thought she was going to fall asleep standing up at any moment. Lyla nodded her head somewhat. "I just need some coffee," she admitted and lightly pushed past Tim and walked to a nurse, asking where the nearest coffee station was. The nurse showed her down the hallway where a coffee pot sat with cups and fresh coffee within it.

Lyla returned to Tim a moment or so later with a tall cup of coffee, pointing to the elevator, "Let's go." She grinned a little, excitement starting to churn in her stomach to see the twins. Lyla was a sucker for babies, then again what roughly twenty year old girl wasn't? Plus, the robust smell of coffee and the first hot sip had rejuvenated her to a certain degree.

They were about to step into the elevator when Tim heard a familiar voice. "Tim, wait up!" Becky hollered from down the hallway, running with her boyfriend, Luke Cafferty. They finally caught up with Tim and Lyla in the elevator, where Tim had held the doors open for them.

Becky and Luke stepped inside with the two of them and the doors closed. "Oh, hi, Lyla," Becky said with a smile. It had been at least a year and a half or more since she'd seen Lyla Garrity last. She remembered when Tim was living in the camper outback of her and her Mom's house that Lyla had come to see him once or twice.

"Good to see you again, Becky." Lyla smiled, looking from Becky to Luke. She recognized him as a football player, but didn't exactly know him. "I'm Lyla Garrity," she introduced herself and he nodded, shaking her hand.

"Luke Cafferty. I'm familiar with your Dad and your little brother; we became good friends last year on the football team." He went on and Lyla nodded, figuring he had to know her younger brother. Lyla only hoped Buddy Jr. would make the football team again this year…she was almost certain, being a Garrity that he would without a doubt.


	6. Chapter 6

"That was really nice, wasn't it?" Tami asked her husband at about noon when they finally got back home after a long morning of visiting with Billy and Mindy Riggins in the hospital. Not to mention they'd gotten to see Tyra, Lyla, Tim, Becky, and Luke, too.

"Yes it was," Eric was too tired to be anything more than soft spoken at that point, and he was hardly that. He ditched his Dillon Panthers ball cap on the kitchen table, along with the set of car keys and disappeared to the bedroom. Although Tami was fully functional at this point after having only about five hours of sleep and a few tall cups of coffee; Eric most certainly was not.

Coach Taylor ended up falling asleep for a few hours nap while Tami tended to Gracie Belle after relieving the babysitter who had come over this morning on short notice. She'd felt bad about not taking Gracie to see the twins but sometimes kids carried more germs than adults so that could have potentially been dangerous. She knew Gracie would have been enamored with newborn babies; she remembered when Julie had been enamored by younger cousins being born.

Tami was pleasantly happy with herself; too, with how much Mindy had liked the baby basket and all the goodies inside of it. She had gone with neutral colors, not knowing when she was buying stuff that the twins were going to be one boy, and one girl. Mindy seemed just as pleased with that as she would have been with blue and pink.

She checked the answering machine at home and saw they'd missed a call from Julie, it dawned on Tami too that she'd missed a call on her cell phone, too. "Hi Mom, Matt and I just wanted to check with you again to see what day you and Dad would be up here in Chicago. I got your message about leaving on Monday or something for Philadelphia? Has Mindy had her babies yet? Call me!" Julie had actually sounded excited for a call from her Mother, which shocked the hell out of Tami. It had been a while since she heard her daughter's voice sounding like that, and she had to admit: she'd missed it.

[*-*]

"This place is adorable," Julie commented as she took a seat at the gorgeous black bistro table inside of a quaint restaurant. She and Matt had been planning for the last week to go out to eat on his day off this week; Matt hadn't disappointed. This place was turning out to be better than Julie's imagination.

"I bumped into this place about a year ago now. I was looking for a different place, actually, I had got the address mixed up…this place turned out better than the place I had been searching for," he explained and Julie couldn't help but laugh. That sounded so much like something he would do.

A waitress came around and handed them a couple menus. Julie was almost too enamored with the atmosphere to pay attention to the menu. "Hmm," Matt said as he looked up from the menu and gazed around the restaurant like his fiancée was doing.

"It is pretty nice in here, huh?" Matt asked and Julie nodded, finally coming back down to Earth somewhat and picking up her menu to glance at it. Even the menu was adorable to her: pink with vibrant letters and colorful trimmings. The waitress came back around a few moments later and the two of them placed their orders.

Matt went with a rather meaty sandwich of theirs and a salad, while Julie settled for a more vegetarian sandwich and a salad as well. The both of them ordered tall glasses of orange juice to go with their meals. Julie had definitely turned Matt more into a health nut after she moved up here to Chicago.

Before Julie, Matt had been living on take out and ramen noodles—your typical college male…but now Julie insisted if they did eat out: they ate out more healthily and most nights, she cooked something wonderful for them. It amazed Matt at how great of a cook she was to only be eighteen years old. He guessed Mrs. Taylor was a great cook, but the handful of times he'd had dinner with the Coach and Mrs. Taylor, Matt's mind hadn't always been a hundred percent there.

In fact, even while living here in Chicago, Matt's mind hadn't always been a hundred percent there. Matt could remember how stressful life was with his Grandma getting sicker and his Dad in Iraq…and then suddenly his Dad's death and Grandma getting even sicker. Even after running away to Chicago, he still felt those daily burdens. Matt Saracen almost felt them more now that he was away from the problems. Julie Taylor melted all of that away for him… he could actually think with her here…he could breathe.

They'd only been waiting a few minutes for their food when Julie's phone started to buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out, looking down at the caller ID and smiled some. "It's Mom. I'll be right back, okay?" She offered Matt and he nodded his head. Julie stood up from the table and disappeared outside to speak to her Mom on the phone.

"I got your voicemail," Tami started after Julie had said hello. "Mindy gave birth like a champ. A boy and a girl, they named them Timothy Eric and Tyra Christina." Julie couldn't help but go 'awe,' at the pure fact that the babies were named after Tim and Tyra…and then it dawned on her; they named the boy after her Father, too!

"That's so sweet of them to name them after Tim and Tyra, and Dad, too," Julie admitted. "How shocked was he to find that out?" She asked her Mother, who laughed softly.

"He was quite flattered. They've also made Tim and Tyra the Godparents. I'm not quite sure how that's going to work, though," Tami stated in a soft voice. As she was on the phone with Julie, she could hear Eric snoring from the bedroom. She had just put on some cartoons for Gracie Belle to watch, so it was somewhat hard to hear Julie over all that.

"Not going to work out….?" Julie asked; a questionable tone in her voice. Last she'd heard from her mother; Tim and Tyra were going strong even though her best friend was still off at school in Houston. "You'll never believe whose back in town…" Tami's voice faded, not particularly in a bad way but she didn't have to say anymore. Julie knew.

"When'd Lyla come back into town?" "A day or so ago now; she and Tim have spent nearly every waking hour together as I understand." Julie nodded as she listened to her Mother. She hated to end the conversation so short, but, she had to get back in to eat with her fiancé.

"Look Mom, I hate to end this so soon. I'll have to call you back this evening. Matt and I are actually out on a lunch date and our food just got to the table…" Julie's voice trailed. "Oh!" Tami exclaimed.

"Tell me all about the date later tonight then. Have a good meal," she told her daughter, ending with an 'I love you,' to which Jules returned before hanging up. Julie slid the small phone back into her pocket and disappeared back into the restaurant with her beau for a nice warm meal.

"What'd your Mom say?" Matt asked over dinner and Julie smiled rather brightly. "The twins came. A boy and a girl; they named the boy after Tim and my Dad…and named the girl after Tyra. Tim and Tyra are the Godparents, too," it didn't honestly surprise Matt that they'd named the boy after Tim and Coach Taylor. It did however surprise him that they'd make Tim and Tyra the Godparents.

Matt Saracen was a huge #33 Riggins fan; after all they'd been on a team together for a couple years and gotten to know one another quite well. But the last thing Matt ever thought of Tim was that he'd make a good Dad. I guess he'd proved to have made a good Uncle, though. And Tim was, after all, quite a bit different now that he'd gone to jail; Matt had to keep reminding himself of that. Although it had been way too long since Saracen had seen Riggins for him to pass an official judgment.

[*-*]

"Could you two just stop with the bickering? We're all tired." Tim said as he slammed the truck door shut on the driver's side and headed for the front door to unlock it. Lyla and Tyra both came walking up behind Tim, finally silent after a hellish ride back to the Riggins house from the hospital.

"Now, Tyra, can you get Mindy's bag together while I get Billy's?" Tim asked and Tyra nodded, hanging her head in a bit of defeat, disappearing into the master bedroom. Tim looked over to Lyla, who by now looked like a walking plague. Lyla was pissed at Tyra but for the majority, she was so sleepy she could barely think straight.

"I'll have to drive the bags back to the hospital, but after that, I'm coming home. You're more than welcome to sleep in my bed," Tim said quietly and Lyla shook her head some, rubbing her eyes. Thankfully she didn't have any makeup on today or it would be ruined by now.

"I don't feel right doing that… I can just call my Dad to come get me. You and Tyra need time together," Lyla said quietly, biting on her lower lip as she looked up to Tim. He nodded his head some. "I don't want you to go…but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable here. I don't think Tyra will keep fighting with you if you're asleep." Tim admitted. Lyla reluctantly agreed with him, she was just too tired to keep fighting with him or Tyra.

Lyla yawned and slowly nodded her head, wrapping her arms up around Tim's neck and pressing a soft kiss to his lips before she disappeared into his bedroom, crawling into his bed and crashing out pretty quickly. Tyra had on-looked from the doorway of the master bedroom.

"I realize you and Lyla never had closure," Tyra kept her voice quiet. "But that doesn't mean she can come in here and ruin what you and I have going. Tim, this is the most real a relationship has been between us in the six or more years we've been on and off with each other."

There was no denying that. Tim knew Tyra was more than right. Tim knew it was wrong of him to be more or less leading one of them on…although he wasn't certain which one quite yet. Tim knew Lyla was his 'end all' girl, but he felt something so real for Tyra Collette now and it was undeniable. It was strong. But nothing was ever going to be stronger than what he had with Lyla Garrity, in the past or in the present, or the future.

"I know, Tyra. I'm not trying to hurt you, or her. You're right, we didn't have closure. She left for college and so did I. I fucked my whole life up and she disappeared. I thought I lost her for good and yet, here she is; it's bringing back old feelings. Feelings that ain't gone," Tim admitted as he walked across the hardwood flooring to Tyra who stood in the doorway of the bedroom.

"This doesn't mean I don't love you. This is real this time, between us… I can feel that. Part of me doesn't want to lose that. You've been there for me through a lot and fuck knows I've put you through a lot more, shit I shouldn't have, so much shit you didn't deserve. This is probably one of those times. But Tyra, I can't stand here and tell you I'm not still in love with her. I can't tell you that with every second I'm with her that it doesn't get stronger."

Part of Tyra was sick of listening to Tim, the other piece of her was surprised he could talk this deeply about his feelings. Garrity must seriously have something over him…a real string, a real pull. "I just wanted you and me to work this time, Tim," Tyra whispered, a few tears coming to her eyes. "All I've thought about today is what it'd be like to have kids with you, to marry you. I've never thought about those things before," she admitted, wiping the tears away. "I'm tired of being a guy's second best."

"I'm tired of making you feel like you're second best, because God I don't mean to," Tim sighed and wrapped his arms around Tyra, holding her to him as she cried for a moment or so. "I don't want to cut this moment short," he whispered into her ear. "But Mindy and Billy really need us to take stuff to them," he reminded her and she pulled away, nodding.

Tim and Tyra finished packing a couple bags for Billy and Mindy, who planned to stay in the hospital a few days with the twins at doctors' advice; the two left a sleeping Lyla in Tim's room and went back to the hospital to drop the bags off.

[*-*]

"Can Vince Howard really fill the shoes of great Panther quarterbacks in the past? Jason Street, Matt Saracen, J.D. McCoy, they have full on legacies in this town to a certain extent. Can Vince Howard really do what those three did?" A caller asked Sammy Mead. Vince and his Mother had been listening to the radio program on their way to the supermarket that morning at a little after seven o'clock.

"You may be right, you may be right," Sammy admitted. "But I believe this boy can lead the Panthers to victory. I've watched him over the last two years and I believe Coach Taylor has molded a fine quarterback. You have to remember it was Coach Taylor who made Jason Street, and especially Matt Saracen. Look how bad that kid did his very first game!"

Even Vince had seen the tapes of Saracen's first game. The fourth quarter he played after Street was hurt. Jason Street was an inspiration to Vince, no doubt about it—but Matt Saracen was the biggest inspiration to the young football player. Matt was the Dillon Panther legacy in Vince's opinion.

"You know you're going to be the best quarterback that school's ever seen, right, Vince?" His Mother asked and he nodded his head as she shut off the engine of their car, walking into the grocery store with her son. "No doubt," Vince solemnly agreed. He had a month before practice started. All Vince wanted was Jess to come back and work with him this summer like she did last year. Vince didn't think he was this great quarterback without his right hand lady.

Plus, his quarterback Coach was going to be Billy Riggins. Vince wasn't the biggest Riggins fan… that was more Luke Cafferty's place. But Vince did believe every deserved a try and if Coach Taylor finds that Billy isn't doing his job right: Vince knows that Coach will take it upon himself to show Vince everything he knows just like he did with Jason Street and Matt Saracen.

"I'm just not even going to sweat it, Ma," Vince said as he helped his Mother reach items on top shelves in the store. Came in handy to have a tall kid, she thought to herself. "I'm just going to practice my heart out come next month." Vince admitted and his Mother, Regina, nodded her head in agreement.

The two of them rounded a corner and bumped cart first into an old friend of Regina's: Corrina Williams. "Well hi there, Regina," Corrina said in her always hospitable sounding voice. "Well hi yourself, Corrina. It's been a while! I didn't know you were back in town?" Regina questioned.

"Oh, girl, I couldn't stay away from my family too long. Brian is doing so well at A&M and playing for the Aggies. He's at football camp right now, me and the girls thought we'd come back for a visit, stay with some relatives. He's meant to come to town for a visit when he has a few off days," Corrina informed Regina.

"Girl I've got my own football son now," Regina admitted and pulled Vince a little more forward. "My boy won state this last season with the Lions." Corrina nodded her head, having remembered hearing about Coach going to the East Dillon Lions and starting up a team.

"What position did you play, boy?" Corrina asked, to which Vince replied 'quarterback.' "Oh my! And you won state? That's great! I'm such Brian would love to meet you and chat it up," Corrina admitted and Vince smirked a bit. "It'd be a pleasure to meet the great Smash Williams."


End file.
